Man of Gold
by Reykja
Summary: An exploration of who Kiba's father might be, and why he's not around. Tsume tells her young son the story of how they met...


This was a challenge both Victoria Levi and I did our own versions of.

The pairing: Tsume Inuzuka and Kiba's father

Song to inspire: Kaiser Chiefs - Oh My God

The time limit: 1 hour (I failed this part, it was just too much fun to write...)

We both realised pretty early on that we didn't know anything about Kiba's dad and after much wiki'ing became no wiser. Since then I've been thinking about various scenarios and possibilities...so who knows, the mystery of Kiba's dead may end up being a whole series if I get carried away...

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"Mommy, why don't Hana and I have a dad, like Shikamaru and Chouji?"

Tsume was startled by her young son's question that came out of the blue as she was preparing dinner. He was playing tug-of-war with Kuromaru on the kitchen floor. Kuromaru was currently winning, dragging the five year old over to his water dish before dropping the drool-soaked rag to lap up some water. Kiba glared at the large canine who, yet again, wasn't taking him seriously. He sat with his arms crossed and pouted, his sulking being effectively ignored. The nin-dog finished his refreshment and licked Kiba's cheek before walking off to have a nap in the sunshine. The boy wiped furiously at his face, still angry.

"Well, mom?"

Tsume had been watching the scene with great interest, wondering over the speed of her little boy's growth. Yes, he was definitely becoming more like him.

"Honey, I've told you before... he died shortly before you were born."

Kiba looked up at his mother with wide, questioning eyes. "But... why didn't you get another dad! That's what Sakura's mom did..."

Tsume put down her chopping knife and wiped her hands on her apron as she kneeled down to face her son. "Well, that's just something I couldn't do, honey. I loved your father too much; I love him still."

Kiba observed her in silence. He was curious to know more, but also a little bewildered and scared. His mother never spoke of his father. The few times he had asked, she would often turn silent and turn away, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. He didn't want to see her sad, but... he wanted to know.

"Come here, kid."

Tsume took her son in her arms and leaned back against the wall.

"You're right. It's only fair you should learn about your father. He was a great man, you know."

Kiba turned to face her. "A hokage!?"

Tsume laughed. "No, not a hokage. Much more important and special."

Her son stared at her, wide-eyed. How could she have kept a secret like that from him! He would definitely brag to the boys about his amazing dad in the schoolyard tomorrow. They'd all be jealous and wish their dad was a great dead man too!

"He was my husband, which makes him the most important man in the world; apart from you."

Kiba groaned. "Be serious, mom!"

"Well, for starters, he wasn't from Konoha."

Kiba's eyes grew wide again. "He WASN'T!?"

Tsume hushed the boy. "I'll tell you the whole story hon, but you're going to have to listen carefully and patiently. Kind of like Kuromaru does when I'm training with him. OK?"

Kiba nodded enthusiastically. Anything Kuromaru could do, he could as well! Apart from win at tug-of-war, maybe.

"Alright... "

She had been just seventeen when she left Konoha for her very first B-rank mission. Her team had been sent to the Gold country to escort a very wealthy nobleman to a wedding between his sister and the daimyo of the country of Copper. As his sister's only remaining relative it was imperative that he attend the ceremony, despite some unrest and protest sparked by the groom's family's disapproval over the union.

Tsume's job was to work with her father's dogs Shiromaru and Haimaru and detect any would-be assassins on their trail. It was a long journey, but she had enjoyed spending time with her team and honing her skills with the dogs. And, spending time with him. The man they were escorting was only twenty-two, but a man of great respect in his village. He was also very handsome and a great entertainer, keeping the mood light-hearted and relaxed the whole way to the neighbouring nation. One of Tsume's partners claimed he was a shameless flirt, but she believed he was genuinely kind and sociable. The dogs would have given her an indication if her assumptions were wrong, anyway.

They arrived at their destination unscathed. There had only been two attempts at assassinating the nobleman and they were easily thwarted. Tsume's team stayed in the town for the ceremony, guarding building entrances and keeping an eye on suspicious attendees. Their client would often come to check on her. He claimed it was see if she was alright or if she needed anything; despite her insistences that she was able to take care of herself, and it was himself he should be concerned about. The ninja team he'd hired was capable and he needn't worry about them. He had smiled at her last remark and whispered in her ear, "I don't really care about the team... just you."

"Ewwwww mom, I don't want to hear gross love stuff like that!" Kiba protested and tried to wriggle out of his mother's arms.

She kept him in a tight grip, saying "Hey, you said you were going to be a good listener like Kuromaru, right? You wanted to hear about your dad, and that involves some of that looooove stuff."

Kiba sulked as his mother teased him, but quietened down, waiting for her to continue.

The ceremony also went smoothly and shortly after they were escorting the excruciatingly handsome man back to his village.

"Moooom!"

It wasn't until they had arrived at the man's village gates that she realised she had fallen for him. She didn't want to leave his side, and she knew deep down that this wasn't a fleeting crush. She was in love.

After their client invited them to partake in a magnificent feast, the team bade farewell. They stood at the gateway of his estate, Tsume desperately trying to come up with some way to stay with him longer, to speak with him just a little bit more, for this to not end just quite yet. She had duties to fulfil at home, but she couldn't bear to part with this man. Luckily for her, she didn't have to. At the gates, he asked if Tsume could remain for some months to help train his dogs to become as useful as her nin-dogs. He was after all, a man of note and would still need some sort of protection in the future. The captain agreed and said he would pass on the information to the Hokage, who would send a bill later. Tsume was thus allowed to stay.

The months went by and Tsume worked hard to get the man's dogs into shape, which proved to be quite a challenge. They weren't the calm, stable animals she had been surrounded by growing up and often ended the day covered in bruises and scratches from their roughhousing. Her client... no, by this point, her boyfriend -a retching noise escaped Kiba's lips- would help treat her wounds and raise her spirits with jokes and anecdotes about the villagers he had to deal with that day. Their love grew, and soon enough Tsume realised that she was pregnant.

"What, just like that? How did that happen!?" Kiba stared up in horror.

Tsume's cheeks turned a dark shade of pink. "That's a talk we'll save for another time, darling."

Her son nodded, accepting her cop out this time. The story of his father was of primary importance.

Either way, it would have caused a scandal had they not gotten married. So, they did. Rather hastily, in fact. However, her new husband arranged everything for her, making her well-being top priority. He notified her family and the Konoha Hokage, stating that she would stay in the Gold country forthwith. He hired the best nurses, ordered the healthiest food and spent as much time with her as possible when he wasn't in meetings regarding village business. It was no understatement to say those days were amongst the happiest of her life. Her family came and visited soon after Hana was born. They had been surprised by the sudden marriage and birth, but were happy for her; and even happier that she had kept their family name and would pass it on to her children.

The years went by, blissful times, as they raised their daughter together. Just as Hana was at the stage where she had begun school, and would talk nonstop about boy-

"Ha, she's still at that stage mom!"

Tsume hushed her son.

Just at that time, Tsume discovered she was pregnant again.

"Hmm, it's funny how that just comes outta nowhere, huh?" Kiba pondered, making a mental note to figure out how, why and when this sort of thing occurred. He definitely wouldn't want it happening to him. The other boys at school would tease him _forever_.

Tsume mussed the boy's hair and kissed his head softly.

She realised she was pregnant when her husband was away on business in the Silver country negotiating new trade agreements. She desperately wanted to see his face light up when he found out so they could share the joy. So she decided not to send a courier with the news, but wait until he returned home. He never did.

A tear slowly rolled down Tsune's cheek.

On his journey home, the convoy he was with was ambushed by a group of rogue ninja looking for some easy cash. He had put up a fight trying to protect the women in the group and had been killed. The dogs she had trained to protect him were at home, with her.

Tsume wiped the tears away, but more came flooding.

She was notified by a messenger a few days later when they brought the body back to the village. She was left alone in a far away country with no family but their daughter and unborn child. A child he didn't even know he had left behind.

A child who looked just like him and took after him in so many ways it was almost as if he was still with her. A child who carried a derivation of his name. "Kinba," she whispered. Kinba, her lost 'gold tooth' who left behind a tiny 'fang' to remember him by.

Kiba began to squirm in his mother's arms. Things were getting a little bit too mushy, and he'd made his mother cry again. He turned and hugged her hard, not knowing what else to do. He was only five, what could he do to make his mother feel better? She squeezed him close and whispered that she loved him and told him how proud she was of him; that her only regret in life was that his father couldn't know him. Kiba's face felt hot as he heard her words. He rubbed his face against the fabric of her apron willing his tears to go away. She stroked his hair softly and began to hum a lullaby she often used to sing to him when he was younger.

Her son looked up at her, red-faced and more than a little snotty. She smiled down at him and wiped the mucus off his face expertly with a handkerchief as she continued her song. A song her husband had composed for her; the only thing he had left her with, apart from her children.

"Well, I have to finish getting ready for dinner now! You know what your sister is like when she gets home from the Academy. She'll give us both a hard time if there isn't dinner on the table when she walks through that door!"

Tsume got up and lifted Kiba to his feet. She gave him a soft kiss on the forehead and returned to chopping vegetables on the counter.

"Go on, I think Kuromaru is ready for another round."

Kiba looked up at his mother, confused. Wasn't she unhappy? Didn't she need him to comfort her? How were things suddenly back to normal? He stood still, unsure of what to do or where to go.

"Go! He's waiting for you! And you know..." Tsume's eyes flashed conspiratorially as she whispered, "I heard a rumour that his front left paw is a little bit ticklish..."

Kiba didn't need another hint. With this new information, he would definitely win this time! The boy charged through the door calling the dog's name, gone in a flash.

Tsume smiled. Those two really were alike. Maybe when he was older, she'd tell him more. In the meanwhile, dinner wasn't going to make itself...

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_A/N – Since I couldn't find any info whatsoever about Kiba's father, I originally planned on him having no name, or it not mentioned anywhere. But then I go this (ingenious? stupid?) idea and used the Japanese word "Kinba", which literally means gold tooth. The characters are different from that of Kiba ('fang'), but it sounded similar enough and they're both teeth, so I had to go with it.... P.S. I just adore the idea of Kiba being 5 -I can just imagine him being sooooo cute, can't you?  
_


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